My 2019 Toyota Hybrid lists 0W16 as its preferred motor oil. Toyota’s 0W16 is the only 0W16 that I see that you have tested. Do you plan on testing others?
Would the Amsoil Signature 0W20 be a good substitute? Amsoil only makes 0W16 in there OE series.
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Hi Robert,
I have no plans to test any more insanely thin 0W16 oils. I do not support using oil so extremely thin, only in an attempt to squeeze out a microscopic improvement in mpg. Oil that thin is not beneficial to an engine in any way.
Amsoil Signature Series 0W20 would be a much better choice.
Thanks for your valued opinion about the Toyota 0W16 oil. I will definitely switch to the Amsoil Signature 0W20 oil at the next oil change. However 3 weeks ago I changed the oil at 5000 miles with the Toyota 0W16. Do you think it would be wise to add Oil Extreme Concentrate Additive to the Toyota 0W16 oil and leave it in for the next 5000 miles?
Thanks for taking the time and effort to help me.
Robert
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Hi again,
Never use aftermarket motor oil additives. They upset the factory’s carefully balanced additive package, making the oil WORSE overall than it was to begin with, no matter what it may or may not do for an oil’s wear protection capability.
If your car is an ordinary daily driven vehicle that isn’t subjected to severe usage in the traditional sense, you can wait until the next oil change to upgrade the oil.
However, by definition, hybrids subject their oil to severe usage by NOT keeping their oil fully warmed up at all times. So, the oil is subjected to never-ending hot/cold cycles. That creates a situation where the normal condensation that is formed as cold oil warms-up, is never fully boiled off, thus leaving the oil and engine protection compromised. That is equivalent to endless short trips on an engine, which is one of the worst types of operation, and falls under the severe usage category.
Therefore, hybrids should follow the severe usage oil change interval of every 3,000 miles. The ridiculously long oil change intervals in the Owner’s Manual should be completely ignored if you want to provide your engine with the best protection.
I have a fleet of grooming vans with Cummins ONAN 7000 watt generators that recommend SAE30 or SAE40(conventional). I have been using Mobile 1 5W30 full synthetic motor oil. Should I be using a thicker oil on this air-cooled v-twin engine?
Onan model: Commercial Series 7HGJAE-2132
Specs:
Engine details Model: Cummins Onan OHV EH65V gasoline engine.
Design: 4-cycle, OHV, 90-degree V-twin
Cylinders: 2 Bore: 80 mm Stroke: 65 mm Displacement: 39.8 in3 (653 cm3) Compression ratio: 8:1
Oil capacity: 2.0 qt (1.9 L) including filter.
Power (max): At 2880 r/min: – Gasoline-fueled models: 14.0 hp
Cooling: Centrifugal blower, generator set mounted for high effectiveness, pressurized system, vertical flow Cooling air volume: 60 Hz: 500 ft3/min (14.2 m3/min) at 2880 r/min. Air flow includes engine, generator set and control cooling air flow.
Fuel system: Replaceable dry element air cleaner.
Lubrication: Full pressure positive displacement lube oil pump, spin-on, full-flow lube oil filter, low oil pressure shutdown, dipstick.
Cylinder crankcase: Alloy aluminum with iron cylinder liners cast into the block, aluminum oil base Cylinder head: Aluminum, OHV, removable
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Hi Bill,
You would like to think that if you followed the Factory’s recommended motor oil viscosity, that you would be fine. However, I have seen air-cooled engines seize when using the recommended 30wt oils.
The problem is, air cooled engines simply cannot properly control their oil temperatures, especially in hot weather and under heavy load. And motor oil gets thinner and thinner, as it gets hotter and hotter. On top of that, the wear protection capability of most motor oils, falls as the oil gets hotter and hotter.
So, it’s not a big surprise when a really hot air-cooled engine seizes, when using a 30wt oil. The way to protect against that is to use a thicker oil to begin with.
So, I recommend using a multi-viscosity 50wt oil such as 20W50, in air-cooled engines. One such oil that tests well, and of course then performs well in service is, Valvoline 20W50 VR1 Racing oil, that can be found in many name brand Auto Parts Stores.
I am not aware of an oil related failure in an air-cooled engine, while using that oil. And I’ve used that oil for 21 years in my air-cooled lawn mower, which is still running strong.
Use the information above, to decide for yourself, what you would like to do going forward.
Appreciate the abundance of information that you share and are obviously passionate about. Thanks to a talented and great father, I have a street/strip 65 Pony Fastback with an ~750HP 408 Stroker. To assist with my inquiry, it has a Procharger, hydraulic rollers, high volume fuel pump and I believe main bearing clearance at 0.0025″. The car mainly sees infrequent street use, sits for the winter and gets an occasional track day. It’s had Valvoline VR1 20W50 and currently Amsoil Premium Protection 20W50 with high Zn and TBN. Based on your research, I’m thinking of making a change. I called Amsoil and asked about using the Signature Series 5W30 for my application. They would not commit to a specific oil and said what I am using is an excellent oil as is the Signture 5W30 including the ZRod. The rep did acknowledge that some racers are using and are happy with the Signature 5W30.
Would you recommend the 5W30 or other? Also, how would I evaluate my results if I changed to a lighter oil, would it be by oil pressure, oil temp and sound? I’m taking the car to the track next week and am a little hesitant on making a change to the 5W30 for the first time if that would be the choice.
Seeing how the Amsoil Signature 5W30 did so well in your testing, have you thought about testing the 10W40 or 0W40?
Thanks in advance for you thoughts.
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Hi Robert,
See my Tech Article on Viscosity Selection for why 20W50 is WAY too thick for most water-cooled gasoline engines. 5W30 is the ideal/optimum viscosity for most engines. I use that viscosity myself in my stock engines, and in my modified 600 HP, and 800 HP engines.
When making a change from a thick oil to a thin oil for the first time, just make sure that the HOT oil pressure is acceptable at all rpms the engine is operated at. For an engine such as yours, you would like to see at least 10 psi for every 1,0000 rpm. Meaning for example, you’d like to see at least 30 psi HOT oil pressure at 3,000 rpm, and at least 60 psi HOT oil pressure at 6,000 rpm, etc. You get the idea.
Some old school engines may be running a std volume oil pump, and may make inadequate hot oil pressure with thin oil. So, you need to verify what your engine is doing. A high volume oil pump with thin oil, is much better than a std volume oil pump with thick oil.
5W30 Amsoil Signature Series or 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oils would be excellent choices, assuming your hot oil pressure checks out good.
I don’t have any plans to test more 40wt oils, because that is not an ideal viscosity.
Hello 540Rat! I have a few simple questions. Methanol compatibility with your higher rated oils. I am bracket racing on a budget as most are! I am using the Champion 10w30 syn-blend with no issues YET. I run a flat tappet cam with a new hardened core (52 rockwell) and direct lube tool steel lifter both in attempt to be as reliable as possible. But to my dismay I see that my oil of choice is terrible.. 51,000 psi.. Well I walked into my local WalMart and for less than 30 bucks I can step up to several of your top 25 choices. With the 5w30 silver bottle Valvoline #9 at 123K+ being right up my alley. My engine sits at 45+ psi hot idle with the 10w30, so I feel that the 5w30 will be no issue. Now to the BIG question. How is an off the shelf oil going to hold up to the methanol washing it off the cylinder wall???? I am not to worried about crank case dilution because our combo see’s virtually no alky in the crank case after 75 to 100 passes (due to the price of an oil change) But I am concerned about the methanol washing the cylinders. I would love to over double the wear protection for my flat tappet, use a thinner oil and cut the cost of a service in half. Btw the engine hot only makes about 140 to 160 degrees during a race in the sump. I am expecting I might see 180+ in later rounds since the truck gets doubled entered.(Quaker state 5w30 preformed well colder?) Oh and what is the risk of the shelf oil changing its protection and I wiping out my motor or do they leave the additive PKGs alone pretty well? (Hard question but I had to ask) So what do you recommend I do?
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Hi Scott,
Your oil temps are lower than ideal. I would like to see 215*, so you might want to consider getting an inexpensive dipstick type oil heater, to get the oil temp up while leaving the engine itself cool.
There is no concern with off the shelf motor oils, as long as you select one that performs well. They are among the best oils to ever be on the market. Pick your favorite and never look back. Though for your usage, I do suggest changing any oil as often as possible.
There is no guarantee that an oil’s additive package will always stay the same. Because the better oils are often being improved.
Thanks for your thoughts. I need to make a correction. I stated that I have a “high volume fuel pump”, I meant to write high volume oil pump. Have you seen any oil leakage/dripping in older engines running the 5W30 that may not be present with higher weight oils?
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Hi again Robert,
Sometimes older engines will leak or drip more synthetic oil than they will conventional oil. So, any issue with that typically has more to do with the type of oil than it does with viscosity.
There is also a potential for thinner synthetic oils to bleed out of hydraulic lifters, when the engine sits for a long time. That may result in engine rattle for the first few seconds when the engine is finally started-up again, until the lifters re-fill with oil.
The only way to know for sure with a particular engine, is to try a given oil in that engine, and see how it goes. Even if it would happen to leak, drip, or momentarily rattle, nothing is damaged. So, all you’d have to do is change the oil again to a different oil.
With your particular car, using a superior oil probably would take priority over any little minor issues that might possibly come up. But, only you can make that decision.
Hello again, I just bought a 2015 Ford F150 5.0 Coyote V8 4×4 with 70k miles. Its recommended to use 5w20. I know the new performance coyote v8 mustangs recommend 5w50.. I was really wanting to use 5w30 because my other vehicles all use that weight. I have heard its best to use 5w20 because the variable cam blah blah. Any thoughts on using 5w30 ? Also any chance you will be testing 5w20 Synthetic Valvoline Maxlife. I noticed you tested the 5w30 weight and it scored very high on wear test. I was just wondering if there would be a big difference is wear protection between the 2 weights. Thanks for any info or thoughts! Love the info you provide!
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Hi Josh,
5W30 would be the ideal viscosity for your Coyote V-8. I have switched all my engines that call for 5W20, over to the ideal 5W30, including variable cam timing engines. And they are perfectly fine with it. Countless others are also using 5W30 in engines that originally called for 5W20, with no problems at all.
In fact, later Coyote Mustangs that call for 5W20, also say to use 5W30 for track days.
5W30 is the best choice because it provides better protection during severe usage, and reduces or eliminates mechanical engine noises that can often be heard during hot idle.
5W20 was only initiated to slightly help gas mileage numbers. It was never intended to help the engines, and variable cam timing does NOT require it. It was Marketing driven, not Engineering driven. It was forced on the Automotive Engineers, even though they did not want it.
Shelby GT Mustangs should NOT be using ridiculously thick 5W50. See my Tech Article 41 for more details on that.
I don’t have any plans to test any additional 5W20 oils, because it is not the best choice to use.
I am from Europe / Poland here.
I am driving A4 B6 1.8T quattro orginaly 190HP / 240Nm, after chip 215HP / 320Nm.
The plan is to go with bigger turbo and setup for about 300HP /400Nm.
I have two questions:
A)
I used couple of oils, and want to ask your recomendation about which oil will suit the best for my car.
I used:
1. Castrol Edge 5W30
2. Millers EE 5W30
3. Millers EE 5W40
4. Rockoil Sythesis 4 Sport 5W40
5. Ravenol VST 5W40.
And I stay for now with Ravenol because of it’s good viscositi parameters, v. good HTHS, good oil bases – PAO and oil additives (volfram, zinc, etc.)
As for me it is now the best quality for value in Europe, it costs about 35-40$ / 5 Liters.
My engine is from very hot series of engines, so i need very good viscosity in high temp., and beacuse of weather in winter, chain in back part of timing chain, also need v.good cold start.
I know that RedLine is doing very good oils, but in Europe it’s price is very high, c.a. 100$ / 5Liters
What do you think will be best oil for that engine?
B) In Poland there is man who have youtube channel with oil testing.
Do you think his test’s are good or don have any bound with real world?
Thanks, for your answers.
Cheers!
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Hi,
A) Castrol oils sold in the USA do not perform as well as they used to. So, I no longer use their products. To be on the safe side, you might want to avoid Castrol products in Poland as also.
I do not have any test data on the other oils you List, that are sold in Poland. So, I cannot say which ones may or may not be good. If you are happy with the oil you are using, then you could keep using it.
B) The link you sent, would not work for me. So, I could not see that oil test.
You analysis is amazing. I have a question for you. I have a 2014 BMW X3 2.0 L turbo, direct injected 4 cylinder. It calls for 5W-30 BMW oil. However, as of late BMW is switching / recommending their replacement – 0W-30 BMW oil. I don’t want to use this, becuase it’s to satisfy regulations and not best for my engine. My X3 is used for nothing more than family trips. The vehicle is babied. I want to use the AMSOIL signature series 5W-30, but am concerned about whether or not its OK for my the touchy emission systems on European vehicles. Amsoil does have a European formula, but it’s either 0W40 or 5W40. These European car companies stress that the oil has to have the right amount of phosporous, etc in the engine oil regarding their catalytic converters, etc. Pretty confusing. What are your thoughts ? I plan on running my X3 into the ground. I love the vehicle. It currently has 45,000 on it.
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Hi there,
Amsoil 5W30 Signature Series says it meets API SN requirements. That means it is low zinc and low phosphorous. So, it is compatible with catalytic converters. Therefore, it should be perfectly fine for your engine. I would use that Amsoil and not be concerned at all about the emission system.
But, I would worry about it being a Direct Injection engine. Those engines have a serious problem of excessive deposit build-up on intake valves and intake ports. Eventually, the problem will become bad enough to require extensive engine work to properly clean the inside of the intake system.
Newer properly designed engines have both Port Injection AND Direct Injection, which prevents that problem. Direct Injection only engines should never have been brought to market. They were rushed to market without adequate testing.
Now Direct Injection Owners are stuck with poorly designed engines. Feel free to research this yourself, and you will see. So, you might want to consider replacing that vehicle before it requires that major engine work.
I have a 2014 FRS which I’ve been using 0W-20 QS. No racing, just hard driving as a daily driver. I’ve had no problems at 60,000 miles, but planning to go to 5W-30 QS next oil change.
I know you discourage mixing different oil brands due to additive differences. That said, I’ll have some left over 0W-20 QS I’d like to top off my FRS after putting in 5 quarts of 5W-30 QS. I figure the additive packages should be about the same . 5000 mile oil changes, total oil change is about 5.7 quarts.
Your thoughts??
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Hi Eric,
Yes, it would be OK to do that, in this case, since the oils are so close to being the same. But, once you’ve used up the left over 0W20, use all 5W30 after that.
Hi 540 RAT,
I have a 2014 Audi S4 that has a 3.0L supercharged (Eaton TVS) V6 TFSI (direct fuel injection). Further engine specs if needed: roller finger cam followers with automatic hydraulic valve clearance compensation, double overhead camshaft, adjusting variable valve timing for intake and exhaust, and a compression ratio of 10.3:1. I’m currently at 75k miles. I drive approximately 80 miles a day, 70 of that being freeway miles with moderate stop and go traffic from time to time. Factory recommends 5w40 but if that is unavailable then 5w30 or 0w40 is ok as long as it meets VW 502 00. So my question for you after looking at your list of oils is should I stick with the factory recommended 5w40 and use “5W40 Mag 1, FMX, European Formula” which is #30 on your list, or switch to one of the other possible weights and run either “5W30 Amsoil Signature Series”, “0W40 Mobil 1 ‘FS’ European Car Formula”, or do you have something else in mindthat could be better? Also do you have any thoughts on the use of BG EPR® Engine Performance Restoration® being added 20-30 before the oil change? It claims to help with a lot of things, won’t get into all the details, but one of the things that did catch my eye is that it does say excellent for maintaining direct injection engines. Another item I want to ask your opinion on is about the use of BG Advanced Formula MOA?
Thank you!
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Hi there,
If your engine was not Direct Injection, I would use 5W30 Amsoil Signature Series from the oils you listed. Because it is one of the very best oils on the market today.
However, the last time I checked, Amsoil did not say that oil met the GM dexos 1 Gen 2, nor the API SN Plus specs, which can help Direct Injection engine deposit build-up some.
So, for your Direct Injection engine, I would use 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil, which does meet those specs, if you check the bottles to make sure you are getting the latest version.
It has been proven beyond any doubt, that you do NOT need to use an oil that meets every little factory spec. Engines are simply not that delicate. So, they never know the difference. Most people don’t bother with that, and never have a problem.
You should never use any aftermarket additive in a motor oil. They upset the carefully balanced factory additive package, and make oil WORSE overall than it was to begin with.
If you select a good oil in the first place, it won’t need any help.
“I am driving A4 B6 1.8T quattro orginaly 190HP / 240Nm, after chip 215HP / 320Nm.
A)
I used couple of oils, and want to ask your recomendation about which oil will suit the best for my car.
I used:
1. Castrol Edge 5W30
2. Millers EE 5W30
3. Millers EE 5W40
4. Rockoil Sythesis 4 Sport 5W40
5. Ravenol VST 5W40.”
Rat540 it was only my mention which oils i used in the past and which i use now.
I want to know your opinion which oils (which you know from your expirence, not which I write here) you would use to my car.
I mean it is better to use 5w30, 0W40, 5w40, 5w50?
And which exacly?
f.e. mobil 1 new life 0w40 etc.
Thanks for your opinion.
Take care,
SDreamMaker
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Hi again,
If your engine is capable of producing acceptable HOT oil pressure, I would use 5W30.
Also, if your engine is NOT Direct Injection, I would use 5W30 Amsoil Signature Series oil.
Or, if your engine is Direct Injection, I would use the latest 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil, which has the API SN Plus certification.
Not sure if I’m in the right section to ask a question or just to comment on the above?
My question is;
I have a 1969 Norton Commando 750cc motor cycle, she is run regularly during the spring, summer and fall, usually around 3,000kms. and she doesn’t burn oil to any noticeable degree.
Currently I’m using T4 Rotella 20 40w as apposed to the 20 50 recommended in the book way back in 69 with no apparent ill effects.
I have changed to T6 Rotella synthetic, extreme temperature 10 40w in my 66 280 SL Mercedes auto. and she seems to be fine. Would you recommend I use the same in my Norton?
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Hi Laurie,
Yes, this Q&A Section is the correct place to ask questions.
Shell Rotella is a low performing “Diesel” oil, that is a poor choice for gasoline engines. You can provide far better protection for your old school gas engines, by using proper motor oils.
In your Norton, I would suggest you consider using High Performance 20W50 Valvoline VR1 Racing oil. It is one of the very best choices for air cooled engines, and is usually available in most Auto Parts Stores, at least in the USA.
For your SL, if 10W40 is your desired viscosity, then I suggest you consider using Pennzoil 10W40 High Mileage Vehicle conventional oil, which would be a far better choice.
With a 2015 BMW m6, s63TU direct injection engine. It looks like the best oil for it is 5w30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil. However, I live in MN, so it’s cold in the winter. Should I stick with 0w30 for a little better cold flow or you think it will be fine with 5w30 QSUD?
Thanks for the help in advance!
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Hi John,
If your car is driven every day, there will be sufficient residual oil on engine components at start-up. So, 5W30 will be fine. Just be sure to drive it easy until it gets up to normal operating temperature.
Hello 540 RAT,
I’ve always been a Valvoline fan and have used it since i purchased by first car(20yrs ago). However, now , with all these new standards it seems like any top oil brand (Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Quaker State, Castrol, and Valvoline) would work just fine on my daily drivers. 06′ Mustang Gt, 14′ Hyundai Santa Fe, and 97’F-150. I’ve read many times where people will say just use “whatever is on sale”. My question is, do you think using any one of these brands would be just fine on 3k mile intervals? yes, i still do 3k mile oil changes because it takes me about 4, 5, 6, and even 7 months do run the full 3k miles. The only one that gets to 3k miles the soonest is my Santa Fe as it gets used the most out of all 3. I use Valvoline 5w-30 full synthetic on all 3 with no issues. I’ve been leaning towards QSUD as it is the cheapest of all 3. Right now its at walmart for 17.97. However, the price usually throws me off. Im sure its still great oil, but naturally it makes me wonder if it is as good or better as the others. At the moment i am currently running Castrol Edge as it was on sale for 19.97. Its the first time using it and have no complains, however, ive seen you mention Castrol is not that great. Please let me know which oil you prefer or recommend, or if is should just stick to Valvoline.
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Hi Sky,
Yes, Walmart has very good prices on QSUD (Quaker State Ultimate Durability). In the 5qt jug, it is about 50% cheaper there, than at Pep Boys Auto Parts Stores. It is not the oil that makes you wonder, it’s the price at Walmart that makes you wonder. Sure, they get a big discount from large orders, but so does Pep Boys.
I recently tested the latest QSUD, and it proved once again, that it is one of the very best motor oils on the market. I use 5W30 QSUD in all my own engines from stock to High Performance. And my Blog readers would be well served by doing the same.
I normally get my QSUD at Pep Boys, but if they are out of it, I get it at Walmart. I’ve never had any problem with the oil from Walmart. So, I’m not really concerned about the oil they sell. But, I just got QSUD at Walmart a week or so ago for an upcoming oil change. And I got one extra qt, just for testing.
So, sometime in the next couple of months or so, I will test that extra qt of QSUD oil I got at Walmart, just to confirm that all is good. That will put to rest any question about the oil Walmart sells.
I do not recommend using Castrol oil products, because over the past few years they have performed so poorly in my testing.
Thank you for the fast reply!! I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now and i could safely say i get on here a ton. In regards to the oils, ill stick with valvoline and qsud; can’t wait to see the results on the qsud from walmart, because that has always made me wonder. It would be awesome if all comes back with the same great results as I’ve been buying my oil from walmart for YEARS now. I would like to mention that Valvoline has a new label on their conventional oil, it is labeled synthetic blend now. I spoke to someone from valvoline and they stated the reason for that is because they use some synthetic molecules injected into the formula, however , have always used that. BUT, they are just starting to label it as such, and the oil is still the same. Not sure what the deal is, but nevertheless, just thought id would share that with you guys. In regards to Castrol, ill just stop using it, i only started now because i got it on sale.
Thank you for providing all of your info. I would like to see you test a kart racing oil called Thor Racing Oil. Not sure you would do this, but if you find the time, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Hi Jim,
That would be specialty oil that very few people would have any interest in, in the overall scheme of things. The oils I test, have to have at least a fairly wide interest for me to justify the time and effort it takes to test them.
Thank you for all of the great information and work you do.
I have used Castrol Edge Professional 5W-30 in my car since new. I sample every change and noticed a significant change in the ‘additive metals’. I contacted BP to inquire about change and this was their reply (Note, i also asked for specific difference between GOLD bottle and BLACK bottle) –
Hi Scott,
Thanks again for being a Castrol customer. Sorry for the delay in response; just catching up on e-mails.
Looking at the data, it looks like the previous samples you had tested were a previous formulation that met API SN.
In early 2018, the motor oil industry upgraded to API SN PLUS. The reason for this upgrade is auto manufacturers were having an issue with knocking (low speed pre-ignition – LSPI) in GDI engines and they found that there were 3 primary main contributors – engine design, gasoline composition and motor oil additive chemistry. The automotive industry added a new test for LSPI and which is required to meet API SN PLUS. Detergents in motor oil often contain calcium and magnesium (and some other chemistries) and the LSPI test tends to prefer lower levels of calcium and higher levels of other detergent chemistry.
Looking at your data, I would think that the previous samples you had tested were our previous formulas at higher calcium and lower magnesium levels and the most recent formula is our new API SN PLUS formula with higher magnesium (with a slight change in titanium as part of the new formulation).
EDGE Professional products have additional processing and filtration for improved OEM performance requirements. In some cases, there are also additional formulation changes targeting specific OEM requirements.
Hope this information helped.
I also see this oil has dropped like a rock in your test results. One of the changes has been to decrease Titanium PPM, my sample results with previous version were very consistent 25ppm, new formula 15ppm. Needless to say, I am looking to make a change in oil. If you are interested in sample reports, i would be glad to provide them to you.
Best regards.
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Hi Scott,
I appreciate your offer. But, I don’t need to see your full reports. I seldom bother to have component quantity Lab Tests performed anymore.
Because at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters for my purposes, is how motors oils perform in my Engineering wear protection capability torture test. That shows how oils actually perform under load at normal operating temps. It is like the way engine specs don’t matter as much as how the engine actually performs on the road or on the track.
Here are the specs of a really high performance sports car from Swedish Koenigsegg:
“-Koenigsegg twin turbo aluminium 5,0L (305cu.in.) V8, 4 valves per cylinder, flat-plane crankshaft, double overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication
-Compression: 8.6:1
-Bore: 92 mm Stroke: 95.25 mm
-Sequential, multipoint port fuel injection with individual cylinder pressure sensors and back pressure sensors
-Closed loop individual combustion and lambda control, twin ceramic ball bearing turbo chargers with Koenigsegg response system.
-1.7 bar boost pressure (2.2 bar with E85)
-Dry sump lubrication.
-Carbon fiber intake manifold with optimised intake tracts
-Tig-welded ceramic coated 0.8 mm wall thickness inconel exhaust system manifold with merge collector
-Total engine weight: 189 kg
ENGINE MANAGEMENT
-Koenigsegg Engine Control Module
-Flex fuel capability (optional)
-High power coil-on-plug ignition system
OUTPUT
Gasoline: 955 kW (1280 hp) at 7800 rpm, redline at 8500 rpm.
E85: 1195 kW (1600 hp)
Torque: 1000 Nm from 2700 to 6170 rpm
Max torque: 1500 Nm at 5100 rpm”
All these with the use of multipoint PORT fuel injection and, of course, within Euro6b emission limits.
Everything else is just for the dealers’ shop to make money cleaning your clogged valves….
Cheers from Greece!
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Hi again,
So, you mean “other engines” with DIRECT Injection will have clogged valves.
The builders of this engine know what they are doing. Because this engine will NOT have clogged valves since it uses PORT fuel injection which prevents clogged valves.
Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.
There IS a way to build powerful and emission-legal engines without the use of “direct injection only” fuel delivery.
All other “excuses” are to justify an engineering failure.
greetings from Athens.
have you ever tried LM molygen new generation oils?
I would like to listen your opinion for this kind of oil.
i
Thanks!
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Hi AD,
No, I have never heard of that oil. All the oils I have tested, are on my Wear Protection Ranking List.
Hello 540 RAT, I enjoy reading your Blog and it has opened my eyes to a lot of things that I have been misled about in the past ,(ZDDP) being one and break-in oils being the second to name a few. I have been like many of your other readers that have built several engines over the years and recently lost a camshaft in a SBC engine during break-in. This was not a radical engine , just a nice 10: 1 comp. with Comp Cams 220 / 226 duration @ .050. .460/ .480 lift flat tappet Hyd. Cam. Break-in oil was VR-1 20w50. And a bottle of Liquid Moly. Break-in was 5 heat cycles of about 5 min. Each not exceeding 180*. After that I changed oil and filter and used Penn Grade 1 20w50. After chasing the noise thinking it was a mechanical fuel pump issue I pulled the V-Covers and found some loose rockers. So I pulled the engine and tore it back down and found 2 lobes and lifters gone and som others starting to fail. This engine never saw less than 2000 rpm for the heat cycles. So now after reading your words of Wisdom I think this 20w50 was the culprit. I now have the engine back together and have on hand the 5w30 QSUD. Also 10w40 Race Only Lucas. Which would you use and what if any break-in should I do ? Thanks for all your efforts. Casey
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Hi Casey,
I would use the 5W30 QSUD for break-in and for after break-in (more on that below), assuming your engine clearances and oil pump will produce sufficient “HOT” oil pressure with the thinner 5W30.
But, if your clearances are on the loose side and you are running a standard volume oil pump, it may not make sufficient “HOT” oil pressure with the 5W30. If that is the case, you would need to swap the oil pump for high volume oil pump.
Running a high volume oil pump with a thinner oil such as 5W30 is FAR superier to running a std volume oil pump with thicker oil such as 20W50. I always build engines with a high volume oil pump and use thinner 5W30 oil.
Do NOT use any aftermarket additives in the oil at any time. Not during so-called break-in. Not ever. Use the oil just as it comes right out of the bottle.
Do NOT use any elaborate, involved, and silly break-in procedure at all. Do NOT be concerned with heat cycles. Do NOT be concerned with holding it at an elevated rpm. Do NOT be concerned with keeping it below some certain temperature (though of course don’t let it overheat). All that nonsense can very well do more harm than good.
Simply fire-up the brand new engine, confirm that the oil pressure is acceptable, that it is running OK, and that there are no leaks. By then, the rings are already seated, and you are good to go. So, at that point, roll it out of the garage and drive it like you normally plan to operate it. That’s it!!!
There is no so-called break-in actually required with an engine that is built properly and is using good oil.
I only use one oil, a good one, from day one on. And so can everyone else.
Thanks 540 RAT. I did replace the oil pump with a High Volume, l’m Gonna fire it up tomorrow I’ll let ya know how it goes. One other question I have is why do cam manufactures say not to use full synthetic for the first 500 mi.. It seems to me that you would want the added stability !!
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Hi again Casey,
I can’t speak for them. However, it would seem they are thinking about the lobes and lifters seating in with each other. But, we know how following their advice can workout……..wiped lobes. In general, Cam Company personnel don’t know the first thing about motor oil, as you found out the hard way. So, ignoring anything they say about motor oil is in your best interest.
The fact is, engine parts automatically have to seat in as needed to support the load that is applied, no matter what oil is used. But, you still want oil that provides the best possible wear protection beyond that. And 5W30 QSUD will provide that, as can quite a few other high performing motor oils.
Hey 540 RAT – I just found your blog and it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! Finding useful, unbiased (i.e. nothing the oil company puts out) info on motor oil is next to impossible.
Do you have an oil filter preference? I’ve been using Wix filters for years and they seem fine. I don’t go over 5000 miles between oil changes and do 3000 (sometimes less) in my vehicles that are used for repeated short trips or in dusty conditions, trailer towing, etc.
BTW, I’ve been using QS – UD 5w30 for years without issue in all my cars / trucks… started using it because it was the cheapest name brand full synthetic they had at Walmart!! There’s some dumb luck.
Again, thanks for all the useful info.
Moe
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Hi Moe,
I have not performed in-depth Engineering tests on oil filters. So, I don’t make any specific recommendations for them.
But, I have cut several brands apart for internal inspection. I have been pleased with the design and manufacturing of the specific K&N oil filters, and the specific Motorcraft oil filters I’ve inspected.
On the other hand, I have found some AC Delco oil filters have been cheapened and reduced in size to the point that I would no longer use them. So, be careful of that brand in both size and how cheaply made they appear, even from just looking down inside the hole, without cutting one open.
And the absolute worst, most poorly made oil filter I have ever cut open, is the least expensive line of Fram oil filters. They were so shockingly poorly made, that I would never use them, even they were giving them away.
So, I recommend that gearheads purchase an oil filter cut-open tool. Then cut open the oil filters they are interested in, and see how they look. If they look to be well made, then you can decide if the specs and brand that go with it, are acceptable.
But, if they look to be poorly made, choose another brand.
Hi 540, how could an old vw beettle engine use 5w,10w,20w 30w mostof the tme and 40w when real hot?
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Hi Bob,
For most things in life, there is one ideal way of doing them. But, there are numerous ways of doing them in a less than ideal way. That is what you are making reference to regarding old VW engine oil usage.
For air cooled engines, which cannot control their oil temperature, I recommend using a thicker oil such as 20W50, which is an ideal multi-viscosity Motor Oil for that application. See my Tech Article 37 for more details on that.
I’ve always been a fan of conventional oils. I have never bought into the hype around Synthetic lubricants for many reasons. However, I am a fan of Amsoil in general along with Valvoline products.
Your test results are very intriguing.
One thing I find interesting is you did not perform any tests on BG Lubricants, which my mechanic uses religiously.
So in a street car / daily name my best options for 5W-30 and 10W-30, synthetic or conventional. Specifically Chevy (iron) LT1 and GM Northstar
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Hi Aaron,
Off the top of my head, I don’t recall having ever seen, or heard of BG Lubricants. If I ever did, I have forgotten.
There are a lot of fringe oils on the market, which most people have never heard of, that don’t have a wide enough interest to justify the time and effort it takes to test a motor oil. So, it is just not possible to test every single oil out there.
I try not to tell people what specific oil they should use. I have no stake in what particular oil people choose to use. And I try not to promote any particular brand over another. I provide my Engineering Test Data in my Wear Protection Ranking List, so that people can look at the Data there, and make an informed and educated decision for themselves. So, I suggest you do that as well.
But, with all that said, here are a few oils that I personally have high regard for:
Amsoil Signature Series
Quaker State Ultimate Durability
Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil
As for viscosity, when you have a choice between 5W30 and 10W30, 5W30 is almost always a better choice than 10W30. See my Tech Article 39 for the details on that.
Hi 540 RAT, thank you. I guess I jumped the gun and posted the “missing port” thing before you had a chance to approve / reply. and thank you again for the priceless information.
I totally respect and appreciate your unbiased information.
High pressure oil pump question. About 17 years ago, I did back to back to back real world testing in my Boss 351 Mustang on oil pump springs and pressures. I drove the exact same test loop, on fresh oil for each change, with very nearly identical ambient weather conditions. I tried stock spring, high pressure spring, and various combinations of washers to shim up both the stock and high pressure spring. The results indicated the only significant change was cold idle pressure. By the end of the test loop, the pressures were about the same regardless of the spring pressure. Of my 8 tests, Mobil 1 and Amsoil performed the worst both resulting in very low pressure and high oil temps. The best seemed to be stock pump or an out of the box Milodon HV pump. The high pressure spring resulted in higher oil temp and same pressures on the test loop.
My current car (for the last 15 years) is a 1970 Boss 302 road race car, 450 hp at 7000 rpm. Solid flat tappet cam, bearing clearances at .0025. I have been running VR1 racing (silver bottle) 20w50 for 15 years or so. I’ve generally had high oil temps and will be switching to a 5W30 based on your info.
My question is: should I go with a high pressure/high volume pump on my current set up? Do the newer oils perform that much better?
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Hi Dan,
I think you have a misunderstanding of what a high oil pressure oil pump means. All that means is that the “MAX” pressure the oil pump can achieve, also called the oil pump relief valve pressure, is higher than with a stock oil pressure oil pump. Yes, that is determined by the relief valve spring stiffness. A stiffer spring being used to make the oil pump into a high pressure oil pump, does not affect the oil pressure at all, other than the “MAX” pressure that can be achieved. Below that, you will not see any change in oil pressure.
For example, let’s say at a high enough rpm, your stock oil pump can reach a max of 65 psi. At that point, the oil pump relief valve begins to open and bleed off oil, and will not allow the oil pressure to exceed 65 psi, no matter how high the engine is spun. Then, let’s say you put in a high pressure spring, which changes the max pressure that can be reached to 75 psi. There is no change in oil pressure except that the MAX pressure can then reach 75 psi before it reaches the bleed off point. That’s it. So, the testing you did with relief valve springs in the past, performed as expected.
If you were expecting to see a difference in oil pressure at an rpm “below” the MAX oil pressure bleed off point, you would need to run a high volume oil pump, with or without a high pressure spring. And you may need a high volume oil pump to achieve acceptable “HOT” oil pressure when switching to a thinner oil. You can either go to a high volume oil pump at the same time you switch to the thinner oil, or you can try the old standard volume oil pump with the thinner oil first, and see what you get. But, if the “HOT” oil pressure is too low with the standard volume oil pump, then you have to switch to the high volume oil pump.
Personally, I build my engines with high volume, high pressure oil pumps, and I run 5W30 motor oil. This setup is ideal for excellent oil pressure with thinner oils, which provide superior oil flow, lubrication, and cooling, compared to standard volume oil pumps with thicker oil. Also keep in mind that the newer gerotor type oil pumps are far superior to the old spur gear type oil pumps. I always use and recommend the newer gerotor type oil pumps.
Here is how a few oils compared in my Engineering tests with respect to their wear protection capability psi values:
Remember, the higher the psi value, the BETTER the wear protection.
5W30 Amsoil Signature Series = 134,352 psi
5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability = 120,588 psi
20W50 Valvoline VR1 = 97,677 psi
As you can see, these 5W30 oils far outperformed this 20W50 oil. This is only one example of how viscosity does NOT determine wear protection capability. It is the oil’s additive package that determines its wear protection capability.
My 2019 Toyota Hybrid lists 0W16 as its preferred motor oil. Toyota’s 0W16 is the only 0W16 that I see that you have tested. Do you plan on testing others?
Would the Amsoil Signature 0W20 be a good substitute? Amsoil only makes 0W16 in there OE series.
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Hi Robert,
I have no plans to test any more insanely thin 0W16 oils. I do not support using oil so extremely thin, only in an attempt to squeeze out a microscopic improvement in mpg. Oil that thin is not beneficial to an engine in any way.
Amsoil Signature Series 0W20 would be a much better choice.
Take care,
540 RAT
540 RAT,
Thanks for your valued opinion about the Toyota 0W16 oil. I will definitely switch to the Amsoil Signature 0W20 oil at the next oil change. However 3 weeks ago I changed the oil at 5000 miles with the Toyota 0W16. Do you think it would be wise to add Oil Extreme Concentrate Additive to the Toyota 0W16 oil and leave it in for the next 5000 miles?
Thanks for taking the time and effort to help me.
Robert
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Hi again,
Never use aftermarket motor oil additives. They upset the factory’s carefully balanced additive package, making the oil WORSE overall than it was to begin with, no matter what it may or may not do for an oil’s wear protection capability.
If your car is an ordinary daily driven vehicle that isn’t subjected to severe usage in the traditional sense, you can wait until the next oil change to upgrade the oil.
However, by definition, hybrids subject their oil to severe usage by NOT keeping their oil fully warmed up at all times. So, the oil is subjected to never-ending hot/cold cycles. That creates a situation where the normal condensation that is formed as cold oil warms-up, is never fully boiled off, thus leaving the oil and engine protection compromised. That is equivalent to endless short trips on an engine, which is one of the worst types of operation, and falls under the severe usage category.
Therefore, hybrids should follow the severe usage oil change interval of every 3,000 miles. The ridiculously long oil change intervals in the Owner’s Manual should be completely ignored if you want to provide your engine with the best protection.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 RAT
I have a fleet of grooming vans with Cummins ONAN 7000 watt generators that recommend SAE30 or SAE40(conventional). I have been using Mobile 1 5W30 full synthetic motor oil. Should I be using a thicker oil on this air-cooled v-twin engine?
Onan model: Commercial Series 7HGJAE-2132
Specs:
Engine details Model: Cummins Onan OHV EH65V gasoline engine.
Design: 4-cycle, OHV, 90-degree V-twin
Cylinders: 2 Bore: 80 mm Stroke: 65 mm Displacement: 39.8 in3 (653 cm3) Compression ratio: 8:1
Oil capacity: 2.0 qt (1.9 L) including filter.
Power (max): At 2880 r/min: – Gasoline-fueled models: 14.0 hp
Cooling: Centrifugal blower, generator set mounted for high effectiveness, pressurized system, vertical flow Cooling air volume: 60 Hz: 500 ft3/min (14.2 m3/min) at 2880 r/min. Air flow includes engine, generator set and control cooling air flow.
Fuel system: Replaceable dry element air cleaner.
Lubrication: Full pressure positive displacement lube oil pump, spin-on, full-flow lube oil filter, low oil pressure shutdown, dipstick.
Cylinder crankcase: Alloy aluminum with iron cylinder liners cast into the block, aluminum oil base Cylinder head: Aluminum, OHV, removable
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Hi Bill,
You would like to think that if you followed the Factory’s recommended motor oil viscosity, that you would be fine. However, I have seen air-cooled engines seize when using the recommended 30wt oils.
The problem is, air cooled engines simply cannot properly control their oil temperatures, especially in hot weather and under heavy load. And motor oil gets thinner and thinner, as it gets hotter and hotter. On top of that, the wear protection capability of most motor oils, falls as the oil gets hotter and hotter.
So, it’s not a big surprise when a really hot air-cooled engine seizes, when using a 30wt oil. The way to protect against that is to use a thicker oil to begin with.
So, I recommend using a multi-viscosity 50wt oil such as 20W50, in air-cooled engines. One such oil that tests well, and of course then performs well in service is, Valvoline 20W50 VR1 Racing oil, that can be found in many name brand Auto Parts Stores.
I am not aware of an oil related failure in an air-cooled engine, while using that oil. And I’ve used that oil for 21 years in my air-cooled lawn mower, which is still running strong.
Use the information above, to decide for yourself, what you would like to do going forward.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 have you heard of sunoco or oilzum products?
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Yes.
540 RAT
Hello 540RAT,
Appreciate the abundance of information that you share and are obviously passionate about. Thanks to a talented and great father, I have a street/strip 65 Pony Fastback with an ~750HP 408 Stroker. To assist with my inquiry, it has a Procharger, hydraulic rollers, high volume fuel pump and I believe main bearing clearance at 0.0025″. The car mainly sees infrequent street use, sits for the winter and gets an occasional track day. It’s had Valvoline VR1 20W50 and currently Amsoil Premium Protection 20W50 with high Zn and TBN. Based on your research, I’m thinking of making a change. I called Amsoil and asked about using the Signature Series 5W30 for my application. They would not commit to a specific oil and said what I am using is an excellent oil as is the Signture 5W30 including the ZRod. The rep did acknowledge that some racers are using and are happy with the Signature 5W30.
Would you recommend the 5W30 or other? Also, how would I evaluate my results if I changed to a lighter oil, would it be by oil pressure, oil temp and sound? I’m taking the car to the track next week and am a little hesitant on making a change to the 5W30 for the first time if that would be the choice.
Seeing how the Amsoil Signature 5W30 did so well in your testing, have you thought about testing the 10W40 or 0W40?
Thanks in advance for you thoughts.
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Hi Robert,
See my Tech Article on Viscosity Selection for why 20W50 is WAY too thick for most water-cooled gasoline engines. 5W30 is the ideal/optimum viscosity for most engines. I use that viscosity myself in my stock engines, and in my modified 600 HP, and 800 HP engines.
When making a change from a thick oil to a thin oil for the first time, just make sure that the HOT oil pressure is acceptable at all rpms the engine is operated at. For an engine such as yours, you would like to see at least 10 psi for every 1,0000 rpm. Meaning for example, you’d like to see at least 30 psi HOT oil pressure at 3,000 rpm, and at least 60 psi HOT oil pressure at 6,000 rpm, etc. You get the idea.
Some old school engines may be running a std volume oil pump, and may make inadequate hot oil pressure with thin oil. So, you need to verify what your engine is doing. A high volume oil pump with thin oil, is much better than a std volume oil pump with thick oil.
5W30 Amsoil Signature Series or 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oils would be excellent choices, assuming your hot oil pressure checks out good.
I don’t have any plans to test more 40wt oils, because that is not an ideal viscosity.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hello 540Rat! I have a few simple questions. Methanol compatibility with your higher rated oils. I am bracket racing on a budget as most are! I am using the Champion 10w30 syn-blend with no issues YET. I run a flat tappet cam with a new hardened core (52 rockwell) and direct lube tool steel lifter both in attempt to be as reliable as possible. But to my dismay I see that my oil of choice is terrible.. 51,000 psi.. Well I walked into my local WalMart and for less than 30 bucks I can step up to several of your top 25 choices. With the 5w30 silver bottle Valvoline #9 at 123K+ being right up my alley. My engine sits at 45+ psi hot idle with the 10w30, so I feel that the 5w30 will be no issue. Now to the BIG question. How is an off the shelf oil going to hold up to the methanol washing it off the cylinder wall???? I am not to worried about crank case dilution because our combo see’s virtually no alky in the crank case after 75 to 100 passes (due to the price of an oil change) But I am concerned about the methanol washing the cylinders. I would love to over double the wear protection for my flat tappet, use a thinner oil and cut the cost of a service in half. Btw the engine hot only makes about 140 to 160 degrees during a race in the sump. I am expecting I might see 180+ in later rounds since the truck gets doubled entered.(Quaker state 5w30 preformed well colder?) Oh and what is the risk of the shelf oil changing its protection and I wiping out my motor or do they leave the additive PKGs alone pretty well? (Hard question but I had to ask) So what do you recommend I do?
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Hi Scott,
Your oil temps are lower than ideal. I would like to see 215*, so you might want to consider getting an inexpensive dipstick type oil heater, to get the oil temp up while leaving the engine itself cool.
There is no concern with off the shelf motor oils, as long as you select one that performs well. They are among the best oils to ever be on the market. Pick your favorite and never look back. Though for your usage, I do suggest changing any oil as often as possible.
There is no guarantee that an oil’s additive package will always stay the same. Because the better oils are often being improved.
Take care,
540 RAT
540RAT,
Thanks for your thoughts. I need to make a correction. I stated that I have a “high volume fuel pump”, I meant to write high volume oil pump. Have you seen any oil leakage/dripping in older engines running the 5W30 that may not be present with higher weight oils?
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Hi again Robert,
Sometimes older engines will leak or drip more synthetic oil than they will conventional oil. So, any issue with that typically has more to do with the type of oil than it does with viscosity.
There is also a potential for thinner synthetic oils to bleed out of hydraulic lifters, when the engine sits for a long time. That may result in engine rattle for the first few seconds when the engine is finally started-up again, until the lifters re-fill with oil.
The only way to know for sure with a particular engine, is to try a given oil in that engine, and see how it goes. Even if it would happen to leak, drip, or momentarily rattle, nothing is damaged. So, all you’d have to do is change the oil again to a different oil.
With your particular car, using a superior oil probably would take priority over any little minor issues that might possibly come up. But, only you can make that decision.
Take care,
540RAT
Hi 540, can you switch from high mileage 5w30 back to synthetic 5w30?
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Hi Bob,
Yes you can.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hello again, I just bought a 2015 Ford F150 5.0 Coyote V8 4×4 with 70k miles. Its recommended to use 5w20. I know the new performance coyote v8 mustangs recommend 5w50.. I was really wanting to use 5w30 because my other vehicles all use that weight. I have heard its best to use 5w20 because the variable cam blah blah. Any thoughts on using 5w30 ? Also any chance you will be testing 5w20 Synthetic Valvoline Maxlife. I noticed you tested the 5w30 weight and it scored very high on wear test. I was just wondering if there would be a big difference is wear protection between the 2 weights. Thanks for any info or thoughts! Love the info you provide!
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Hi Josh,
5W30 would be the ideal viscosity for your Coyote V-8. I have switched all my engines that call for 5W20, over to the ideal 5W30, including variable cam timing engines. And they are perfectly fine with it. Countless others are also using 5W30 in engines that originally called for 5W20, with no problems at all.
In fact, later Coyote Mustangs that call for 5W20, also say to use 5W30 for track days.
5W30 is the best choice because it provides better protection during severe usage, and reduces or eliminates mechanical engine noises that can often be heard during hot idle.
5W20 was only initiated to slightly help gas mileage numbers. It was never intended to help the engines, and variable cam timing does NOT require it. It was Marketing driven, not Engineering driven. It was forced on the Automotive Engineers, even though they did not want it.
Shelby GT Mustangs should NOT be using ridiculously thick 5W50. See my Tech Article 41 for more details on that.
I don’t have any plans to test any additional 5W20 oils, because it is not the best choice to use.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 Rat, you do great job.
I am from Europe / Poland here.
I am driving A4 B6 1.8T quattro orginaly 190HP / 240Nm, after chip 215HP / 320Nm.
The plan is to go with bigger turbo and setup for about 300HP /400Nm.
I have two questions:
A)
I used couple of oils, and want to ask your recomendation about which oil will suit the best for my car.
I used:
1. Castrol Edge 5W30
2. Millers EE 5W30
3. Millers EE 5W40
4. Rockoil Sythesis 4 Sport 5W40
5. Ravenol VST 5W40.
And I stay for now with Ravenol because of it’s good viscositi parameters, v. good HTHS, good oil bases – PAO and oil additives (volfram, zinc, etc.)
As for me it is now the best quality for value in Europe, it costs about 35-40$ / 5 Liters.
My engine is from very hot series of engines, so i need very good viscosity in high temp., and beacuse of weather in winter, chain in back part of timing chain, also need v.good cold start.
I know that RedLine is doing very good oils, but in Europe it’s price is very high, c.a. 100$ / 5Liters
What do you think will be best oil for that engine?
B) In Poland there is man who have youtube channel with oil testing.
Do you think his test’s are good or don have any bound with real world?
Thanks, for your answers.
Cheers!
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Hi,
A) Castrol oils sold in the USA do not perform as well as they used to. So, I no longer use their products. To be on the safe side, you might want to avoid Castrol products in Poland as also.
I do not have any test data on the other oils you List, that are sold in Poland. So, I cannot say which ones may or may not be good. If you are happy with the oil you are using, then you could keep using it.
B) The link you sent, would not work for me. So, I could not see that oil test.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 Rat,
You analysis is amazing. I have a question for you. I have a 2014 BMW X3 2.0 L turbo, direct injected 4 cylinder. It calls for 5W-30 BMW oil. However, as of late BMW is switching / recommending their replacement – 0W-30 BMW oil. I don’t want to use this, becuase it’s to satisfy regulations and not best for my engine. My X3 is used for nothing more than family trips. The vehicle is babied. I want to use the AMSOIL signature series 5W-30, but am concerned about whether or not its OK for my the touchy emission systems on European vehicles. Amsoil does have a European formula, but it’s either 0W40 or 5W40. These European car companies stress that the oil has to have the right amount of phosporous, etc in the engine oil regarding their catalytic converters, etc. Pretty confusing. What are your thoughts ? I plan on running my X3 into the ground. I love the vehicle. It currently has 45,000 on it.
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Hi there,
Amsoil 5W30 Signature Series says it meets API SN requirements. That means it is low zinc and low phosphorous. So, it is compatible with catalytic converters. Therefore, it should be perfectly fine for your engine. I would use that Amsoil and not be concerned at all about the emission system.
But, I would worry about it being a Direct Injection engine. Those engines have a serious problem of excessive deposit build-up on intake valves and intake ports. Eventually, the problem will become bad enough to require extensive engine work to properly clean the inside of the intake system.
Newer properly designed engines have both Port Injection AND Direct Injection, which prevents that problem. Direct Injection only engines should never have been brought to market. They were rushed to market without adequate testing.
Now Direct Injection Owners are stuck with poorly designed engines. Feel free to research this yourself, and you will see. So, you might want to consider replacing that vehicle before it requires that major engine work.
Take care,
540 RAT
Great Blog 540!!
I have a 2014 FRS which I’ve been using 0W-20 QS. No racing, just hard driving as a daily driver. I’ve had no problems at 60,000 miles, but planning to go to 5W-30 QS next oil change.
I know you discourage mixing different oil brands due to additive differences. That said, I’ll have some left over 0W-20 QS I’d like to top off my FRS after putting in 5 quarts of 5W-30 QS. I figure the additive packages should be about the same . 5000 mile oil changes, total oil change is about 5.7 quarts.
Your thoughts??
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Hi Eric,
Yes, it would be OK to do that, in this case, since the oils are so close to being the same. But, once you’ve used up the left over 0W20, use all 5W30 after that.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 RAT,
I have a 2014 Audi S4 that has a 3.0L supercharged (Eaton TVS) V6 TFSI (direct fuel injection). Further engine specs if needed: roller finger cam followers with automatic hydraulic valve clearance compensation, double overhead camshaft, adjusting variable valve timing for intake and exhaust, and a compression ratio of 10.3:1. I’m currently at 75k miles. I drive approximately 80 miles a day, 70 of that being freeway miles with moderate stop and go traffic from time to time. Factory recommends 5w40 but if that is unavailable then 5w30 or 0w40 is ok as long as it meets VW 502 00. So my question for you after looking at your list of oils is should I stick with the factory recommended 5w40 and use “5W40 Mag 1, FMX, European Formula” which is #30 on your list, or switch to one of the other possible weights and run either “5W30 Amsoil Signature Series”, “0W40 Mobil 1 ‘FS’ European Car Formula”, or do you have something else in mindthat could be better? Also do you have any thoughts on the use of BG EPR® Engine Performance Restoration® being added 20-30 before the oil change? It claims to help with a lot of things, won’t get into all the details, but one of the things that did catch my eye is that it does say excellent for maintaining direct injection engines. Another item I want to ask your opinion on is about the use of BG Advanced Formula MOA?
Thank you!
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Hi there,
If your engine was not Direct Injection, I would use 5W30 Amsoil Signature Series from the oils you listed. Because it is one of the very best oils on the market today.
However, the last time I checked, Amsoil did not say that oil met the GM dexos 1 Gen 2, nor the API SN Plus specs, which can help Direct Injection engine deposit build-up some.
So, for your Direct Injection engine, I would use 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil, which does meet those specs, if you check the bottles to make sure you are getting the latest version.
It has been proven beyond any doubt, that you do NOT need to use an oil that meets every little factory spec. Engines are simply not that delicate. So, they never know the difference. Most people don’t bother with that, and never have a problem.
You should never use any aftermarket additive in a motor oil. They upset the carefully balanced factory additive package, and make oil WORSE overall than it was to begin with.
If you select a good oil in the first place, it won’t need any help.
Take care,
540 RAT
“I am driving A4 B6 1.8T quattro orginaly 190HP / 240Nm, after chip 215HP / 320Nm.
A)
I used couple of oils, and want to ask your recomendation about which oil will suit the best for my car.
I used:
1. Castrol Edge 5W30
2. Millers EE 5W30
3. Millers EE 5W40
4. Rockoil Sythesis 4 Sport 5W40
5. Ravenol VST 5W40.”
Rat540 it was only my mention which oils i used in the past and which i use now.
I want to know your opinion which oils (which you know from your expirence, not which I write here) you would use to my car.
I mean it is better to use 5w30, 0W40, 5w40, 5w50?
And which exacly?
f.e. mobil 1 new life 0w40 etc.
Thanks for your opinion.
Take care,
SDreamMaker
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Hi again,
If your engine is capable of producing acceptable HOT oil pressure, I would use 5W30.
Also, if your engine is NOT Direct Injection, I would use 5W30 Amsoil Signature Series oil.
Or, if your engine is Direct Injection, I would use the latest 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil, which has the API SN Plus certification.
But, I don’t know what is available in Poland.
Take care,
540 RAT
Not sure if I’m in the right section to ask a question or just to comment on the above?
My question is;
I have a 1969 Norton Commando 750cc motor cycle, she is run regularly during the spring, summer and fall, usually around 3,000kms. and she doesn’t burn oil to any noticeable degree.
Currently I’m using T4 Rotella 20 40w as apposed to the 20 50 recommended in the book way back in 69 with no apparent ill effects.
I have changed to T6 Rotella synthetic, extreme temperature 10 40w in my 66 280 SL Mercedes auto. and she seems to be fine. Would you recommend I use the same in my Norton?
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Hi Laurie,
Yes, this Q&A Section is the correct place to ask questions.
Shell Rotella is a low performing “Diesel” oil, that is a poor choice for gasoline engines. You can provide far better protection for your old school gas engines, by using proper motor oils.
In your Norton, I would suggest you consider using High Performance 20W50 Valvoline VR1 Racing oil. It is one of the very best choices for air cooled engines, and is usually available in most Auto Parts Stores, at least in the USA.
For your SL, if 10W40 is your desired viscosity, then I suggest you consider using Pennzoil 10W40 High Mileage Vehicle conventional oil, which would be a far better choice.
Take care,
540 RAT
With a 2015 BMW m6, s63TU direct injection engine. It looks like the best oil for it is 5w30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil. However, I live in MN, so it’s cold in the winter. Should I stick with 0w30 for a little better cold flow or you think it will be fine with 5w30 QSUD?
Thanks for the help in advance!
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Hi John,
If your car is driven every day, there will be sufficient residual oil on engine components at start-up. So, 5W30 will be fine. Just be sure to drive it easy until it gets up to normal operating temperature.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hello 540 RAT,
I’ve always been a Valvoline fan and have used it since i purchased by first car(20yrs ago). However, now , with all these new standards it seems like any top oil brand (Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Quaker State, Castrol, and Valvoline) would work just fine on my daily drivers. 06′ Mustang Gt, 14′ Hyundai Santa Fe, and 97’F-150. I’ve read many times where people will say just use “whatever is on sale”. My question is, do you think using any one of these brands would be just fine on 3k mile intervals? yes, i still do 3k mile oil changes because it takes me about 4, 5, 6, and even 7 months do run the full 3k miles. The only one that gets to 3k miles the soonest is my Santa Fe as it gets used the most out of all 3. I use Valvoline 5w-30 full synthetic on all 3 with no issues. I’ve been leaning towards QSUD as it is the cheapest of all 3. Right now its at walmart for 17.97. However, the price usually throws me off. Im sure its still great oil, but naturally it makes me wonder if it is as good or better as the others. At the moment i am currently running Castrol Edge as it was on sale for 19.97. Its the first time using it and have no complains, however, ive seen you mention Castrol is not that great. Please let me know which oil you prefer or recommend, or if is should just stick to Valvoline.
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Hi Sky,
Yes, Walmart has very good prices on QSUD (Quaker State Ultimate Durability). In the 5qt jug, it is about 50% cheaper there, than at Pep Boys Auto Parts Stores. It is not the oil that makes you wonder, it’s the price at Walmart that makes you wonder. Sure, they get a big discount from large orders, but so does Pep Boys.
I recently tested the latest QSUD, and it proved once again, that it is one of the very best motor oils on the market. I use 5W30 QSUD in all my own engines from stock to High Performance. And my Blog readers would be well served by doing the same.
I normally get my QSUD at Pep Boys, but if they are out of it, I get it at Walmart. I’ve never had any problem with the oil from Walmart. So, I’m not really concerned about the oil they sell. But, I just got QSUD at Walmart a week or so ago for an upcoming oil change. And I got one extra qt, just for testing.
So, sometime in the next couple of months or so, I will test that extra qt of QSUD oil I got at Walmart, just to confirm that all is good. That will put to rest any question about the oil Walmart sells.
I do not recommend using Castrol oil products, because over the past few years they have performed so poorly in my testing.
Take care,
540 RAT
Thank you for the fast reply!! I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now and i could safely say i get on here a ton. In regards to the oils, ill stick with valvoline and qsud; can’t wait to see the results on the qsud from walmart, because that has always made me wonder. It would be awesome if all comes back with the same great results as I’ve been buying my oil from walmart for YEARS now. I would like to mention that Valvoline has a new label on their conventional oil, it is labeled synthetic blend now. I spoke to someone from valvoline and they stated the reason for that is because they use some synthetic molecules injected into the formula, however , have always used that. BUT, they are just starting to label it as such, and the oil is still the same. Not sure what the deal is, but nevertheless, just thought id would share that with you guys. In regards to Castrol, ill just stop using it, i only started now because i got it on sale.
Thank you for providing all of your info. I would like to see you test a kart racing oil called Thor Racing Oil. Not sure you would do this, but if you find the time, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Hi Jim,
That would be specialty oil that very few people would have any interest in, in the overall scheme of things. The oils I test, have to have at least a fairly wide interest for me to justify the time and effort it takes to test them.
Take care,
540 RAT
Greetings Mr. Rat:
Thank you for all of the great information and work you do.
I have used Castrol Edge Professional 5W-30 in my car since new. I sample every change and noticed a significant change in the ‘additive metals’. I contacted BP to inquire about change and this was their reply (Note, i also asked for specific difference between GOLD bottle and BLACK bottle) –
Hi Scott,
Thanks again for being a Castrol customer. Sorry for the delay in response; just catching up on e-mails.
Looking at the data, it looks like the previous samples you had tested were a previous formulation that met API SN.
In early 2018, the motor oil industry upgraded to API SN PLUS. The reason for this upgrade is auto manufacturers were having an issue with knocking (low speed pre-ignition – LSPI) in GDI engines and they found that there were 3 primary main contributors – engine design, gasoline composition and motor oil additive chemistry. The automotive industry added a new test for LSPI and which is required to meet API SN PLUS. Detergents in motor oil often contain calcium and magnesium (and some other chemistries) and the LSPI test tends to prefer lower levels of calcium and higher levels of other detergent chemistry.
Looking at your data, I would think that the previous samples you had tested were our previous formulas at higher calcium and lower magnesium levels and the most recent formula is our new API SN PLUS formula with higher magnesium (with a slight change in titanium as part of the new formulation).
EDGE Professional products have additional processing and filtration for improved OEM performance requirements. In some cases, there are also additional formulation changes targeting specific OEM requirements.
Hope this information helped.
I also see this oil has dropped like a rock in your test results. One of the changes has been to decrease Titanium PPM, my sample results with previous version were very consistent 25ppm, new formula 15ppm. Needless to say, I am looking to make a change in oil. If you are interested in sample reports, i would be glad to provide them to you.
Best regards.
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Hi Scott,
I appreciate your offer. But, I don’t need to see your full reports. I seldom bother to have component quantity Lab Tests performed anymore.
Because at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters for my purposes, is how motors oils perform in my Engineering wear protection capability torture test. That shows how oils actually perform under load at normal operating temps. It is like the way engine specs don’t matter as much as how the engine actually performs on the road or on the track.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 RAT,
Here are the specs of a really high performance sports car from Swedish Koenigsegg:
“-Koenigsegg twin turbo aluminium 5,0L (305cu.in.) V8, 4 valves per cylinder, flat-plane crankshaft, double overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication
-Compression: 8.6:1
-Bore: 92 mm Stroke: 95.25 mm
-Sequential, multipoint port fuel injection with individual cylinder pressure sensors and back pressure sensors
-Closed loop individual combustion and lambda control, twin ceramic ball bearing turbo chargers with Koenigsegg response system.
-1.7 bar boost pressure (2.2 bar with E85)
-Dry sump lubrication.
-Carbon fiber intake manifold with optimised intake tracts
-Tig-welded ceramic coated 0.8 mm wall thickness inconel exhaust system manifold with merge collector
-Total engine weight: 189 kg
ENGINE MANAGEMENT
-Koenigsegg Engine Control Module
-Flex fuel capability (optional)
-High power coil-on-plug ignition system
OUTPUT
Gasoline: 955 kW (1280 hp) at 7800 rpm, redline at 8500 rpm.
E85: 1195 kW (1600 hp)
Torque: 1000 Nm from 2700 to 6170 rpm
Max torque: 1500 Nm at 5100 rpm”
All these with the use of multipoint PORT fuel injection and, of course, within Euro6b emission limits.
Everything else is just for the dealers’ shop to make money cleaning your clogged valves….
Cheers from Greece!
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Hi again,
So, you mean “other engines” with DIRECT Injection will have clogged valves.
The builders of this engine know what they are doing. Because this engine will NOT have clogged valves since it uses PORT fuel injection which prevents clogged valves.
Thanks for sharing that info.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi again RAT,
Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.
There IS a way to build powerful and emission-legal engines without the use of “direct injection only” fuel delivery.
All other “excuses” are to justify an engineering failure.
hello,
greetings from Athens.
have you ever tried LM molygen new generation oils?
I would like to listen your opinion for this kind of oil.
i
Thanks!
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Hi AD,
No, I have never heard of that oil. All the oils I have tested, are on my Wear Protection Ranking List.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hello 540 RAT, I enjoy reading your Blog and it has opened my eyes to a lot of things that I have been misled about in the past ,(ZDDP) being one and break-in oils being the second to name a few. I have been like many of your other readers that have built several engines over the years and recently lost a camshaft in a SBC engine during break-in. This was not a radical engine , just a nice 10: 1 comp. with Comp Cams 220 / 226 duration @ .050. .460/ .480 lift flat tappet Hyd. Cam. Break-in oil was VR-1 20w50. And a bottle of Liquid Moly. Break-in was 5 heat cycles of about 5 min. Each not exceeding 180*. After that I changed oil and filter and used Penn Grade 1 20w50. After chasing the noise thinking it was a mechanical fuel pump issue I pulled the V-Covers and found some loose rockers. So I pulled the engine and tore it back down and found 2 lobes and lifters gone and som others starting to fail. This engine never saw less than 2000 rpm for the heat cycles. So now after reading your words of Wisdom I think this 20w50 was the culprit. I now have the engine back together and have on hand the 5w30 QSUD. Also 10w40 Race Only Lucas. Which would you use and what if any break-in should I do ? Thanks for all your efforts. Casey
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Hi Casey,
I would use the 5W30 QSUD for break-in and for after break-in (more on that below), assuming your engine clearances and oil pump will produce sufficient “HOT” oil pressure with the thinner 5W30.
But, if your clearances are on the loose side and you are running a standard volume oil pump, it may not make sufficient “HOT” oil pressure with the 5W30. If that is the case, you would need to swap the oil pump for high volume oil pump.
Running a high volume oil pump with a thinner oil such as 5W30 is FAR superier to running a std volume oil pump with thicker oil such as 20W50. I always build engines with a high volume oil pump and use thinner 5W30 oil.
Do NOT use any aftermarket additives in the oil at any time. Not during so-called break-in. Not ever. Use the oil just as it comes right out of the bottle.
Do NOT use any elaborate, involved, and silly break-in procedure at all. Do NOT be concerned with heat cycles. Do NOT be concerned with holding it at an elevated rpm. Do NOT be concerned with keeping it below some certain temperature (though of course don’t let it overheat). All that nonsense can very well do more harm than good.
Simply fire-up the brand new engine, confirm that the oil pressure is acceptable, that it is running OK, and that there are no leaks. By then, the rings are already seated, and you are good to go. So, at that point, roll it out of the garage and drive it like you normally plan to operate it. That’s it!!!
There is no so-called break-in actually required with an engine that is built properly and is using good oil.
I only use one oil, a good one, from day one on. And so can everyone else.
Take care,
540 RAT
Thanks 540 RAT. I did replace the oil pump with a High Volume, l’m Gonna fire it up tomorrow I’ll let ya know how it goes. One other question I have is why do cam manufactures say not to use full synthetic for the first 500 mi.. It seems to me that you would want the added stability !!
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Hi again Casey,
I can’t speak for them. However, it would seem they are thinking about the lobes and lifters seating in with each other. But, we know how following their advice can workout……..wiped lobes. In general, Cam Company personnel don’t know the first thing about motor oil, as you found out the hard way. So, ignoring anything they say about motor oil is in your best interest.
The fact is, engine parts automatically have to seat in as needed to support the load that is applied, no matter what oil is used. But, you still want oil that provides the best possible wear protection beyond that. And 5W30 QSUD will provide that, as can quite a few other high performing motor oils.
Take care,
540 RAT
Very interesting, thanks again for your comments and intel , it won’t fall on deaf ears !! Cheers , Casey
Hey 540 RAT – I just found your blog and it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! Finding useful, unbiased (i.e. nothing the oil company puts out) info on motor oil is next to impossible.
Do you have an oil filter preference? I’ve been using Wix filters for years and they seem fine. I don’t go over 5000 miles between oil changes and do 3000 (sometimes less) in my vehicles that are used for repeated short trips or in dusty conditions, trailer towing, etc.
BTW, I’ve been using QS – UD 5w30 for years without issue in all my cars / trucks… started using it because it was the cheapest name brand full synthetic they had at Walmart!! There’s some dumb luck.
Again, thanks for all the useful info.
Moe
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Hi Moe,
I have not performed in-depth Engineering tests on oil filters. So, I don’t make any specific recommendations for them.
But, I have cut several brands apart for internal inspection. I have been pleased with the design and manufacturing of the specific K&N oil filters, and the specific Motorcraft oil filters I’ve inspected.
On the other hand, I have found some AC Delco oil filters have been cheapened and reduced in size to the point that I would no longer use them. So, be careful of that brand in both size and how cheaply made they appear, even from just looking down inside the hole, without cutting one open.
And the absolute worst, most poorly made oil filter I have ever cut open, is the least expensive line of Fram oil filters. They were so shockingly poorly made, that I would never use them, even they were giving them away.
So, I recommend that gearheads purchase an oil filter cut-open tool. Then cut open the oil filters they are interested in, and see how they look. If they look to be well made, then you can decide if the specs and brand that go with it, are acceptable.
But, if they look to be poorly made, choose another brand.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540, how could an old vw beettle engine use 5w,10w,20w 30w mostof the tme and 40w when real hot?
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Hi Bob,
For most things in life, there is one ideal way of doing them. But, there are numerous ways of doing them in a less than ideal way. That is what you are making reference to regarding old VW engine oil usage.
For air cooled engines, which cannot control their oil temperature, I recommend using a thicker oil such as 20W50, which is an ideal multi-viscosity Motor Oil for that application. See my Tech Article 37 for more details on that.
Take care,
540 RAT
I’ve always been a fan of conventional oils. I have never bought into the hype around Synthetic lubricants for many reasons. However, I am a fan of Amsoil in general along with Valvoline products.
Your test results are very intriguing.
One thing I find interesting is you did not perform any tests on BG Lubricants, which my mechanic uses religiously.
So in a street car / daily name my best options for 5W-30 and 10W-30, synthetic or conventional. Specifically Chevy (iron) LT1 and GM Northstar
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Hi Aaron,
Off the top of my head, I don’t recall having ever seen, or heard of BG Lubricants. If I ever did, I have forgotten.
There are a lot of fringe oils on the market, which most people have never heard of, that don’t have a wide enough interest to justify the time and effort it takes to test a motor oil. So, it is just not possible to test every single oil out there.
I try not to tell people what specific oil they should use. I have no stake in what particular oil people choose to use. And I try not to promote any particular brand over another. I provide my Engineering Test Data in my Wear Protection Ranking List, so that people can look at the Data there, and make an informed and educated decision for themselves. So, I suggest you do that as well.
But, with all that said, here are a few oils that I personally have high regard for:
Amsoil Signature Series
Quaker State Ultimate Durability
Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil
As for viscosity, when you have a choice between 5W30 and 10W30, 5W30 is almost always a better choice than 10W30. See my Tech Article 39 for the details on that.
Take care,
540RAT
Hi 540RAT, did my question from yesterday get removed for some reason?
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Hi again Aaron,
The only question I have seen from you, is the one I just responded to.
Take care,
540 RAT
Hi 540 RAT, thank you. I guess I jumped the gun and posted the “missing port” thing before you had a chance to approve / reply. and thank you again for the priceless information.
I totally respect and appreciate your unbiased information.
High pressure oil pump question. About 17 years ago, I did back to back to back real world testing in my Boss 351 Mustang on oil pump springs and pressures. I drove the exact same test loop, on fresh oil for each change, with very nearly identical ambient weather conditions. I tried stock spring, high pressure spring, and various combinations of washers to shim up both the stock and high pressure spring. The results indicated the only significant change was cold idle pressure. By the end of the test loop, the pressures were about the same regardless of the spring pressure. Of my 8 tests, Mobil 1 and Amsoil performed the worst both resulting in very low pressure and high oil temps. The best seemed to be stock pump or an out of the box Milodon HV pump. The high pressure spring resulted in higher oil temp and same pressures on the test loop.
My current car (for the last 15 years) is a 1970 Boss 302 road race car, 450 hp at 7000 rpm. Solid flat tappet cam, bearing clearances at .0025. I have been running VR1 racing (silver bottle) 20w50 for 15 years or so. I’ve generally had high oil temps and will be switching to a 5W30 based on your info.
My question is: should I go with a high pressure/high volume pump on my current set up? Do the newer oils perform that much better?
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Hi Dan,
I think you have a misunderstanding of what a high oil pressure oil pump means. All that means is that the “MAX” pressure the oil pump can achieve, also called the oil pump relief valve pressure, is higher than with a stock oil pressure oil pump. Yes, that is determined by the relief valve spring stiffness. A stiffer spring being used to make the oil pump into a high pressure oil pump, does not affect the oil pressure at all, other than the “MAX” pressure that can be achieved. Below that, you will not see any change in oil pressure.
For example, let’s say at a high enough rpm, your stock oil pump can reach a max of 65 psi. At that point, the oil pump relief valve begins to open and bleed off oil, and will not allow the oil pressure to exceed 65 psi, no matter how high the engine is spun. Then, let’s say you put in a high pressure spring, which changes the max pressure that can be reached to 75 psi. There is no change in oil pressure except that the MAX pressure can then reach 75 psi before it reaches the bleed off point. That’s it. So, the testing you did with relief valve springs in the past, performed as expected.
If you were expecting to see a difference in oil pressure at an rpm “below” the MAX oil pressure bleed off point, you would need to run a high volume oil pump, with or without a high pressure spring. And you may need a high volume oil pump to achieve acceptable “HOT” oil pressure when switching to a thinner oil. You can either go to a high volume oil pump at the same time you switch to the thinner oil, or you can try the old standard volume oil pump with the thinner oil first, and see what you get. But, if the “HOT” oil pressure is too low with the standard volume oil pump, then you have to switch to the high volume oil pump.
Personally, I build my engines with high volume, high pressure oil pumps, and I run 5W30 motor oil. This setup is ideal for excellent oil pressure with thinner oils, which provide superior oil flow, lubrication, and cooling, compared to standard volume oil pumps with thicker oil. Also keep in mind that the newer gerotor type oil pumps are far superior to the old spur gear type oil pumps. I always use and recommend the newer gerotor type oil pumps.
Here is how a few oils compared in my Engineering tests with respect to their wear protection capability psi values:
Remember, the higher the psi value, the BETTER the wear protection.
5W30 Amsoil Signature Series = 134,352 psi
5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability = 120,588 psi
20W50 Valvoline VR1 = 97,677 psi
As you can see, these 5W30 oils far outperformed this 20W50 oil. This is only one example of how viscosity does NOT determine wear protection capability. It is the oil’s additive package that determines its wear protection capability.
Take care,
540 RAT